title: Motor coordination, activity, and fitness at 6 years of age relative to activity and fitness at 10 years of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health benefits of physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are reasonably well established, but tracking studies of PA and PF in childhood have not ordinarily considered the role of motor coordination.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the growth status, gross motor coordination (GMC), PA, and PF characteristics of children at 6 years of age relative to aerobic fitness (fit, unfit) and PA (active, sedentary) at 10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  285 primary school children (142 girls, 143 boys) resident on the 4 main Azorean islands, Portugal, were measured annually (in the fall) from 6 to 10 years. ANOVA and t tests were computed with SPSS 17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with either high aerobic fitness or with high level of PA at 10 years of age tended to have a more favorable profile at 6 years compared with those with low fitness or low activity, respectively. Children who were both fit and active at 10 years of age had a more favorable activity and fitness profile and had better GMC at 6 years compared with children who were unfit and sedentary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results highlight the need to consider not only PA, but also PF and GMC in health promotion through the primary school years.
authors.affiliation: CIFID2D, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Michele Caroline
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Raquel Nichele
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: de Chaves
authors.forename: Vitor Pires
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Malina
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garganta
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seabra
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D001394:Azores; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D057185:Sedentary Behavior